High School Musical 01: Missing Moments Montage
by Jade-Max
Summary: A Collection of previously posted movie missing moments, and their reviews, grouped together in one thread. Various Characters.
1. Growing Pangs

This is a _collection_ of missing moment vignettes for the movie "High School Musical"

As such, please be aware that there _are_ spoilers for the movie if you have not seen it.

Each chapter in this series has previously been posted under its own title. As a way of condensing the number of stories I've written, and to tidy up my profile, they've now been grouped together in their own thread.

Each story will be listed under its name for title of the chapter and followed by another chapter with the previous reviews, out of respect for the people who left them, so they're not lost now that the individual stories are deleted.

The reviews have been left in their original state without editing on my part. All comments, spelling, grammar and what-not are the responsibility of the individual who had posted the review. My apologies to those of you who had marked any of these stories individually as "Favorites", but there was no other way to organize without deleting the original stories.

I appreciate you all taking the time to read my musings.

Thank you for reading!

* * *

**Disclaimer:** High School Musical is property of Disney and I make no money off of this; I'm simply destroying the sandcastles - or adding to them.

**Title:** Growing Pangs

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** Jack Bolton reflects on Troy's newly discovered singing talents after his son challenges him with the idea that he can be both a playmaker and a singer.

---------

**Growing Pangs**

Where had he gone wrong?

Ever since Darbus had informed him that Troy could sing he hadn't believed it. I mean, his son was the basketball guy – totally committed and totally focused on one thing and one thing only. Basketball. He'd never been prouder than when his son had been voted the team Captain – and Troy had taken to the role like the natural leader he was.

And now this.

Troy had not only missed practice, but he was reclusive, avoiding the court at home, coming home late from school well beyond practice time and leaving early morning before normal kids even thought about getting up for school. He'd all but disappeared, or so the team had said, from free period work outs and was vanishing at lunch only to show for his afternoon classes just as the bell was ringing.

"_But you're a playmaker - not a singer, right?"_

"_Did you ever think maybe I could be both?"_

The look on Troy's face, the sincerity in his eyes when he'd asked that very question – before walking out on him – had said it all. His son had found another pass time that drew him almost as hard as Basketball; a pastime he hadn't felt inclined to share for some reason. Not only was Troy moving beyond Basketball, something he'd never dreamed would happen, but he was moving into an arena Jack was totally unfamiliar with. An arena Jack would have sworn his _son_ was totally unfamiliar with.

Troy singing - with the Montez girl.

That was another curve ball he hadn't expected; finding Troy swinging the girl about like a play toy and looking as if he was enjoying it. Yes, his son was sixteen - so an interest in girls was to be expected - but he'd never dreamed one would be able to distract his son from something as crucial as the preparations for the Championship game.

His son had good taste - the Montez girl wasn't just cute, but truly beautiful – but she was interfering with a dream he and Troy had shared since Troy had been old enough to hold a ball. Troy playing on a team with a shot – just as he'd had – at the Championship. He hadn't thought anything would have been able to distract Troy from that goal.

Shaking his head, Jack Bolton picked up the ball Troy had dropped and headed for his office, trying to sort through everything he'd seen and heard since the school year had started again. His son had been distracted and gotten himself detention the first day back, missed free period workout and auditioned for Darbus' winter Musicale on the second, missed practice today – and now he suspected it was because of Gabriella that Troy's focus had suddenly disappeared.

No. That wasn't right. Troy was still practicing on his own, often hitting the court before he left for school and whatever he was doing before class and his game wasn't any worse than before. Except he didn't talk about Basketball anymore and his focus had shifted from complete absorption in the sport to something else.

Singing.

Throwing his clipboard on his desk, Jack collapsed into his chair and stared at the clippings that lined his walls. The Wildcats – led by Troy – through this season with an impressive record. Undefeated, except in their first game against the Knights this year; and that had been the day Troy had been voted Team Captain. Troy had taken the Wildcats to the top of their game, encouraged them to practice at every free moment and pushed them to become what they were now.

A focused, driven, determined team that had a real shot at that Championship title – not because they'd only worked hard for it, but because they trusted each other like brothers.

Except Troy had lost that drive and focus since auditioning for that blasted Musicale.

Jack tilted his chair back to stare at the ceiling, the confrontation with his son and the Montez girl replaying over and over in his mind. The look on Troy's face from the beginning bothered him. First the awareness that he'd been caught, then the seeming excitement and the... the _pride_ as he'd introduced Gabriella – and called him dad, not coach – and then the hurt that had followed.

Hurt.

True, he hadn't reacted well to the introduction; and Troy knew why. Anything and anyone who drew Troy away from Basketball at this key juncture was a threat. Troy's blessing and curse was to be team Captain; which meant everything he said, did or didn't do was scrutinized by the student body. It would affect his team and his reputation – and the way that the students would support them.

Still, Troy had look far more hurt than a simple introduction gone wrong should have caused. Picturing his son's expression, a clenching sensation grabbed him about the middle. Troy hadn't looked hurt - he'd looked let down; betrayed even.

It was the same look he'd worn when he'd proclaimed he could be both playmaker and singer; almost as if Jack had deceived him. And perhaps he had, his own words to his son earlier that week on the home court coming back to haunt him.

"_What if you wanna try something really new and it's a total disaster and all your friends laugh at you?"_

"_Then maybe they're not really your friends."_

And wasn't that what Jack had done? Laughed at him, made him feel like he wasn't good enough to go for something other than Basketball? Made his own _son_ feel like he didn't have the right to do anything but hoops? He hoped not. Both he and Troy loved the game and it was something they shared evenly. Sure, being the coach's son couldn't be easy and he knew Troy practiced extra hard because of it, but Troy would have said _something_ if he didn't want to play.

The relationship he had with his son was unique. They had the same interests, the same love of the same game and were closer than most fathers and sons usually were. He trusted that Troy would have said _something_ if he'd… Jack stopped himself there.

Troy _had_ said something, he just hadn't listened to what he was trying to say. He had been so focused on the upcoming Championship game that he'd just naturally assumed Troy would be too. He'd taken it for granted that Troy's discussions would all revolve around Basketball and that his concerns wouldn't stretch beyond that until after the game.

And look what it had brought him.

His son had tried to take a step out of the mold that he'd willingly stepped into when he'd tried out for the Basketball team and all Jack had done was ridicule and ignore him. He'd treated his own son in a fashion he'd sworn never too. Nausea roiled through his stomach and he swallowed to keep the bile down.

How could he fix this?

Troy had made it plain that Gabriella was important to him; she was the first girl he'd even been introduced to despite the fact his son was the team's Superstar. It was something that had never bothered Jack before; while his son was probably the most popular boy in school, he didn't date. Or rather, didn't date and inform him parents.

Jack had heard that Troy had been on a date or two, asked a cheerleader to an after party here or there, but his son had never introduced him to any of the girls. Sure, Jack knew them; they hung around all the time, but Troy had never made a point of introducing one of them to him – not as Troy's father anyway. He was always coach Bolton.

But not today. No, today he'd been introduced to Gabriella as Troy's dad – and reacted instead as both coach and father. Gabriella was a threat, a danger to the dream that Troy and his team had worked so hard for all season. Gabriella was a distraction that Troy couldn't afford, especially when it was her influence which caused him to miss practice.

Shaking his head, he straightened in his chair and flattened his palms on his desk. Troy had made it plain he wasn't just interested in Basketball anymore when he'd left the gym and while he didn't like it, Jack knew he had to accept it. His son was growing up and it was inevitable that he would discover girls; Troy's timing was simply awful.

With a sigh, Jack shook his head. He'd just have to trust his son to do the right thing.

_fin_


	2. Growing Pangs: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Growing Pangs**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

**live-in-dreamland1**  
2008-11-21 . chapter 1

that was really good. it was really deep. well done

**ibelieveintruelove**  
2008-11-04 . chapter 1

Excellent! I always wanted to get inside Jack's head and figure out his reasoning for treating Troy and Gabriella so harshly in the beginning. Nice work!

**erinsgirl**  
2008-09-09 . chapter 1

Loved the way Jack tried to deal with his son growing up and was making his own decisions, ones he might not agree with. Fantastic. Your Missing Moment fics are brillant.

**.****  
**2008-09-03 . chapter 1

good job! it's really interesting to see from jack bolton's POV...interesting idea!!

**PinkRangerV**  
2008-09-03 . chapter 1

Parents have worse growing pains than children. After waking up too early, I think that's the most wisdom I have for the day. ;)


	3. Apology

**Title:** Apology

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** Troy apologizes to Gabriella for his father's behavior in the gym.

----------

**Apology**

Troy didn't waste the time changing or hitting the showers before he went in search of Gabriella as he left the gym. His father's attitude stung - especially after the talk he'd been given about team supporting one another no matter what. His father's incredulity was like being laughed at by one of his best friends, and that hurt, but it didn't hurt as much as his father's treatment of Gabriella.

His dad could have, at the very least, politely acknowledged her outstretch hand. But instead he'd chosen to be rude and accusatory - derogatory towards the first girl Troy had ever been even the least bit inclined to have meet his parents.

Okay, to be fair his dad was trying to look out for the welfare of the team, but that didn't mean he shouldn't use the manners he'd taught Troy as a basic part of his upbringing. Even if his dad was steamed about detention - which it seemed still rankled - and about his missing practice, an honest mistake, it didn't mean he had to take it out on Gabriella. Troy should have been the target and instead Gabriella had been caught in the crossfire.

Still in his uniform, Troy bolted through the hallways searching for the girl who'd proven to be the only distraction fascinating enough to keep him from basketball. The hallways were empty for the most part, the students who could escape right after class already having left for the day. Darting from one hallway to another, he slid recklessly down one banister in the stairwell and then another, hitting the floor running as he headed for Gabriella's locker.

Hopefully he hadn't missed her - and nearly fell over as he rounded the last corner, barely managing to jump to the side and into the lockers - as he almost slammed into the object of his search. "Gabriella!"

Falling back and away, Gabriella put one hand out on the lockers on the other side of the hallway for support, staring at him in pleased surprise. "Troy! Shouldn't you be practicing?"

Troy recovered quickly, finding his feet and blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I walked out."

Hugging her books to her chest, Gabriella cocked her head at him. There was a slight reservation in her posture that hadn't been there before the confrontation with his father and Troy regretted it instantly. "How come?"

With a shrug, Troy was as honest as he could be. "I didn't like the way my dad treated you or the way he's pressuring me to just be the basketball guy. That's not fair to either of us."

"Wow." She looked impressed and a little mollified. "The Superstar's going against his coach."

Shaking his head, Troy disabused her of the notion immediately. "Not really. This is the son going against his father - that he's also my coach is just bad luck. My dad should trust me. I mean - I've been nothing but basketball for as long as I can remember, it's just what I do. I'm good at it - that's why I'm the playmaker - and he knows I'll give it my all in the championship game no matter what other interests I have... at least, he should know it." Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled noisily. "I guess not though, since he's worried about you taking away my focus."

"Me?"

"Yeah." With a boyishly shy, but charming, half smile, Troy looked away. "I've _never _missed a practice - until today."

"But you weren't with me."

"Sure I was - we were painting sets." He met her gaze once more. "And no matter who else was there, I was only there because of you."

_That_ made her blush and duck her head. "I thought you were there because of the callbacks."

"That too."

Silence fell between them for a long minute until she shyly looked back up. "Was there something else? I think I've missed my bus."

Troy winced. "Sorry about that. I only came to tell you I'm sorry for my dad and the way he treated you. If I'd known he was going to be so sore about the whole thing, I'd never have tried."

"Wouldn't that have been ruder?"

"Maybe - but at least he could have picked on me about it, instead of taking it out on you."

"It's okay, Troy."

"No it's not. No matter how angry he was at me, he shouldn't have done that to you and I'm sorry he did. I don't think of you as my detention buddy - though I'd prefer it if you joined me when I get it - and I don't think you're a bad distraction."

"I never thought you did."

"I just don't want his opinion to change our friendship."

"It won't." Her smile was charming and sincere. "I'll just make a note of avoiding him until after the Championship game next Friday so I can avoid any more unpleasant conversations. After that we can try a second introduction, sound good?"

Troy laughed. "Sounds good to me. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Count on it. Bye!"

With a wave, Gabriella took off at a run for the second time that day, except this time Troy didn't feel the crushing weight of disillusionment - he felt buoyed by her acceptance and solution to the problem. No matter what his father's opinion, his was what mattered to Gabriella and their friendship wasn't going to change simply because his dad couldn't deal.

Heading back the way he'd come, he made a bee-line for the locker room and his clothes; it was time to head home and face the music.

_fin_


	4. Apology: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Apology**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

N. E. Won  
2009-09-11 . chapter 1

You have a gift, my friend. You are able to add your little tidbits into an existing story without going out of line or making the characters out of character. Cherish that gift. Own that gift. But not only can you do that, you write amazingly, too! The plot developed smoothly and at a nice pace. Details were not extraneous nor were they not enough. Keep up the good work!

hms fan  
2009-08-01 . chapter 1

loved it

Emmybear ox  
2008-11-14 . chapter 1

Very cute. If only this were a real scene in the first HSM. ;D

ibelieveintruelove  
2008-11-04 . chapter 1

Nice! Very clever closing line lol. And I love that Gabriella is so understanding - it fits with her character very well. Good job!

rachey-face  
2008-09-13 . chapter 1

i loved it maybe u shold do one when he gets home ande talks to his dad


	5. Weekend Woes

**Title:** Weekend Woes

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** After Gabriella tells Troy that she's no interested in doing the call backs, she avoids him for the rest of the day at school. It being Friday, Troy isn't given another chance to discover what he did wrong until Monday - which makes for a very long weekend.

----------

**Weekend Woes**

Troy stared after Gabriella as she walked away from him, the abandoned sheet music for "Breaking Free" clutched tightly in one hand. Shocked, he couldn't do more than stare after her as she disappeared into the crowd, hunched protectively over her books. Confusion and hurt rattled around in his head, careening through his system and keeping him rooted to the spot when he should have gone after her.

_Did I miss something?_

Her words echoed around him as if she stood next to him.

_"I mean, who're we trying to kid? You've got your team and now I've got mine. I'll do the scholastic decathlon and you win the championships. It's where we belong."_

"What the-?"

Gabriella was gone by the time he recovered enough to even think about going after her. Folding the sheet music carefully, he headed for his own locker, wondering what had suddenly changed Gabriella's mind. Had joining the scholastic team convinced her that she shouldn't be friends with him or something - or did it go deeper than that?

If it was, why hadn't she mentioned anything before? Surely if she'd had doubts she would have told him; building up the expectation that they were really going for the final call backs and then letting him down in the fashion she had seemed... well, unnecessarily harsh. He'd been so pumped from _finally_ getting the team off his back and looking forward to singing with her that the last thing he'd been expecting was what had just happened.

Was it stage fright?

Opening his locker, he traded the sheet music for his books for the afternoon classes. Not one of them was with Gabriella, much to his dismay, but he resolved to corner her after school to try and sort things out. He needed to know why she'd suddenly changed her mind.

----------

_End of the School Day - Friday_

Troy skidded to a stop at the end fo the hallway where Gabriella's locker was located and checked the clock on the far wall. Two minutes after the final bell. Leaning against the wall, he waited as the students had cleared out... and waited... and waited... only Gabriella never showed.

Another look at the clock showed fifteen minutes had passed - well beyond when Gabriella should have been retrieving her bag to head home - and a sinking sensation settled like a knot in the base of his stomach. The certainty of it only made him feel worse.

She was avoiding him.

There was no other explanation.

But why? He'd thought they were friends, a team set to do their best and show everyone that they weren't just what people thought them to be. To sing "Breaking Free" hadn't juse been a call back, but a way to _prove_ there was more to him than basketball - and more to her than math. Sure, his buddies had been riding him hard about it, but that hadn't stopped him from wanting to do it, or from intending to do it - until Gabriella had told him off.

_Why?_

What had changed so drastically since he'd seen her that morning in homeroom and shared a smile, to when she'd spoken with him after lunch? All he could think of was her comment about having a team of her own to compete in the scholastic decathlon - but why would having her own team change their plans for the call backs?

She knew he'd been cutting short his practices, even missed one, so involved he'd become in it all - surely she could do the same? It was important for him to spend that time with her, to be someone other than 'the basketball guy' and to let her be someone other than the 'freaky math girl' - and enjoy themselves. And, privately, he found he did enjoy singing with her as much, maybe even more, than he did playing on the court.

Not that his team would ever hear it from him.

Leaving the hallway after twenty minutes of fruitless waiting that he now knew would yield no kind of gain, he headed for his own locker. The sheet music for 'Breaking Free' floated to the ground as he opened the door. Gingerly, almost reverently, he collected the paper and ran his fingers over the words at the top.

Sliding the music back into his locker, he pushed his books into the base and pulled out his backpack. His homework load was light this weekend - if in deference to the fact of the playoff game next week or something else he didn't know - and he was peevishly annoyed. Homework might have given him a chance to think about something other than the Championship - and the call back that he and Gabriella would no longer be completing.

_What the heck happened?_

The question reverberated around in his head as he moved towards the locker room on auto pilot, only barely remembering to shoulder his bag and close his locker. Gabriella's music stayed tucked away with his on the top shelf of his locker, hopefully to keep his mind off the way she'd handed the music back to him. In an effort to keep his mind occupied, he changed and headed for the outdoor court where his team would be practicing, but even before he got there, he wasn't - for once - in the mood to play.

Gabriella's rejection hurt - far more than any other rejection he'd suffered before.

Brushing off Chad's attempt to get him to play, he took off instead for a run around the track, unable to get Gabriella's face out of his mind. The way she'd tilted her head, her last smile and the sadness in her eyes - lacking the sparkle that so fascinated him. His chest hurt, and not from his run as he rounded the corner of the track and headed back to the locker room.

Catching the bus home without his friends, he managed to beat his dad and, instead of hitting the court like normal, headed for his room and locked himself in. Emptying his pockets, he dropped his cell phone on the desk and stared at it.

Would she answer if he called her? Something told him no - and besides, what would he tell her? That he was sorry? He didn't even know if he'd done anything wrong - though he suspected he had - and he didn't know what he could say to make things better. Scooping up the cell decisively, he flipped it open and scrolled down to her name, his finger hovering over the button that would connect it.

Punching it, he lifted the phone to his ear - and found it went straight to voicemail.

_"You've reached Gabriella's phone. Leave a message!"_

"Gabriella, it's Troy." he hesitated, not sure what else he could say and at the last second settled for something simple and non committing. "I... call me when you get this, okay?"

Disgusted with himself, he dropped the phone on his bed as he fell backwards across it. What could she _possibly_ be put out with him for? He hadn't missed any sessions with Kelsey; he'd been practicing really hard to ensure he didn't make a fool of himself next to her! Sure, he hadn't spent a lot of time with her outside of the rehearsals and yes, he was fending off his team, but he didn't think that was enough to make her split.

The sound of his mother arriving home - followed closely by that of his father - made his wince and brought him out of his reverie. He needed to act normal or they'd know something was wrong - yet something _was_ wrong. Aside from Chad, hell, _including _Chad, Gabriella knew him better than anyone. Or so he'd thought. If she'd just been some girl he'd met, like he'd told his team, this wouldn't have been such an issue, but she wasn't just some girl.

No. Gabriella was special. She pushed him to be something more than he was, even as he did the same to her.

Swallowing his hurt and pushing it deep within, Troy pushed himself off his bed and headed out to greet his parents. If they noticed he was a little reserved or acting strange, he hoped they'd put it down to nerves. They simply wouldn't know it had nothing to do with the basketball game coming up that next week.

----

_Saturday Morning_

Early that morning, Troy woke from a nightmare in a cold sweat and gasping in denial.

A repetitive nightmare where he had to watch over and over again as Gabriella told him off - word for word - as she had at her locker Friday after lunch. Not just watch, but _observe_ as powerless as he'd been to change things. And his imagination hadn't stopped there. Gabriella had continued as she turned to leave, talking to herself about how wrong she'd been about him; that he wasn't who she'd thought he was.

A hint of a melody had played through his dream, something about wishes and stars and waking dreams that he hadn't been able to hear distinctly - yet the singer had Gabriella's voice and that only made things worse. To even _imagine_ that she was doubting their friendship was bad enough - to wake and find that your nightmare is real made him want to cry.

It was a very humbling feeling - and one none of his teammates would ever find out about.

Groaning softly, he cradled his head in his hands and tried to block out all the doubts. Gabriella had to have a good reason for pushing him away. She wasn't rash, or impulsive; she was a thinker. An analytical, examine everything from all angles kind of thinker - it was what made her so good at equations. But _why_? What possible reason could she have for pulling away like she had?

Pushing to his feet, the room seemed to suddenly be too small and he felt hemmed in. He was sticky and sweaty from his dream, chills racing through his system as the moisture on his skin continued to congeal. With a toss of his arm, he threw the covers back and slid from his bed. Grabbing his practice dregs, he headed for the shower.

First some heat to clear his head and then he'd work through this on the court.

----------

Nothing was working.

Troy had been out on the practice court by himself working on free throws and easy layups since the sun had peeked over the horizon - and hadn't yet sunk a single basket.

Five hours of fruitless dribbling, jump shots, easy ups and lay ups. Four hours of trying to sink something he'd been able to make since he could walk. Finally, frustrated as he bounced the ball short and off the rim, he let go the pent-up frustration by catching the ball and hurling it at the tall fence that split their yard from their neighbors with a yell.

Turning away in frustration, he walked to the edge of the court and threw himself on the grass.

_Nothing_.

The word echoed through his head.

_Nothing_.

Nothing was going right. Nothing was working. His phone had remained stubbornly silent through the morning - it had to be nearing lunch time - and there'd been not a word from Gabriella. Nothing.

The silence was enough to make him want to scream. Pressing the backs of his hands into his forehead and eyes, he struggled to find some kind of accomplishment from that morning even if Gabriella was foremost on his mind - and came up blank. He'd spent a miserable morning on the court trying to convince himself after ever missed shot that he'd make the next one. That the next basket would be his.

And zilch.

For someone who was supposed to be the playmaker on his team - and who could sink the ball from the three point line with ease most days - it was a dismal performance. Good thing his team and his father hadn't been watching him. If they had, he'd have probably been benched indefinitely.

Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

Clenching his hands, he pressed even further on his eye sockets.

"Keep it up and you'll hurt yourself."

Bolting into a sitting position, his head whipped around to find his father watching him, one of the basketballs that had been taunting him all morning under one arm. "Dad!"

Jack Bolton tossed the ball from hand to hand, regarding Troy solemnly. "Rough night?"

Troy _almost _laughed - and it would have come out slightly hysterical. He settled for a nod.

Jack knelt next to his son, placing the ball on the ground and holding it there with one hand on top of it. "Is your head in the game?"

This time Troy smiled and scoffed. "I wish. I haven't sunk a basket all morning."

"I figured. Maybe you should take a break and figure out what's bothering you; the big game's coming up and we need you focused."

Barely catching the grimace before it hit his lips, Troy bit back an angry retort. "I know. I'm working on it."

Boy was he working on it. Every time he picked up the ball to make a shot, Gabriella's face appeared before him and he shied, lost his concentration and choked. The worst past was that if the image he constantly saw wore her delighted smile, it wouldn't have been nearly as distracting as the one he _did_ see. No, instead her sad, almost heartbroken expression haunted him and left no room for anything else, not even basketball.

All he could think about was her expression and her voice. As he'd seen her at New Years in the club when singing with him; how'd she'd sounded when they'd sung the duet for Kelsey and started themselves down the path she'd abruptly ended; even the grin on her face when she'd deliberately taunted him in the gym two days before when he'd asked her if she was good at hoops.

"This isn't about the singing thing, is it?"

The sharp, almost stabbing pain in his chest was uncomfortably constricting and made it difficult to catch his breath.

"Troy?"

"Sorry, what was that dad?"

"Forget it. You've been out here all morning without a break; lunch is on the table."

"I'm not really hungry." The thought of food actually made him feel physically sick.

"Are you feeling okay?" The concern on his father's features did nothing to alleviate the ache inside him. "Now's the worst possible time to get sick-"

"I know... dad." Troy pushed to his feet and stalked away. "I'll be healthy for the game; I'm just not hungry."

"After a workout like that?"

Troy was _always_ hungry. He was growing, or so his mother kept saying, and it was natural for him to be eating so much, especially with his daily physical work outs on and off the court.

"Yeah, dad, after a workout like that." He was in no mood to deal with his father and his dad didn't seem to get the hint that he wasn't good company. Grabbing the jacket he'd tossed to the side haphazardly when he'd started that morning, he headed for the gate.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Out."

The gate opened easily under his touch and Troy took off at a run, trying to outdistance the concern and the questions he knew would soon follow. He didn't know how to explain his sudden inability to play the game he loved in a way his dad would understand – and he couldn't explain about Gabriella when he didn't know himself what was happening.

That was the crux of the matter; he _didn't know_.

His father didn't follow and at the end of the block, Troy turned the corner and stopped, glancing back behind him as he braced his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Running on a empty stomach after five hours of practice didn't do anything for his energy levels.

His phone rang and the noise was suddenly loud in the silence about him, at counter point to his heavy breathing. Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled it free and flipped it open. Chad's picture greeted him and the surge of disappointment was acute and immediate. He'd been so set on the idea that it was Gabriella calling him he hadn't listened to the ring tone.

"Talk to me." He forced a semblance of enthusiasm into his voice as he answered, unable to _not_ answer since the phone had already connected.

"_Hey! About time you picked up. Where are you, man?"_

Troy looked around him and made a face. "Out. Look, Chad-"

"_If you say you're going to hang up on me, I'll hunt you down."_

"Now's not a good time, man," Troy hedged.

"_So join us at the park; we're doing a little three on three."_

"Some other time, Chad," he forged ahead before his best friend could cut in again. "I've gotta go, see you at school on Monday."

Chad's protest was cut off as Troy flipped the phone closed and stuffed it back in his pocket. He noted as he did so that there was a message – from Chad – on his voicemail. No Gabriella. His fingers didn't relinquish their grip on the phone and, almost of their own violation they drew the electronic out once more and flipped it open.

Taking a deep breath, he stared at the screen and carefully scrolled down the list of name until he reached Gabriella's once again. Hitting the button that would connect him to her phone, he lifted it to his ear – and was greeted by Gabriella's automatic voicemail recording once more.

_"You've reached Gabriella's phone. Leave a message!"_

"Gabriella… it's me, Troy… I…" he hesitated, uncertain what exactly he could say. "I… I wish you'd talk to me. Could you… will you _please_ call me when you get this?" He wasn't above begging if it would bring her back into his life. But it ended there as his courage failed and he decisively flipped the phone closed to end the call.

He couldn't make Gabriella call him no matter how much he wanted to force the issue – if she called it would be of her own violation.

Heading at a clip away from the park and towards the back alleys of the community, he took off at a jog to conserve his energy and resolved he'd go home later – much later. If he couldn't sink his shots, then there was no point in letting his physical training slide. Hopefully the run would clear his head. If nothing else, he hoped it would allow him to sleep that night without the nightmare of Gabriella's rejection to haunt him.

----------

_Early Sunday Morning_

Another night, another nightmare.

Waking with a gasp, his eyes darting left and right, Troy sought evidence that his nightmare was nothing but a dream. Finding himself in his room – and not in the middle of the Championship game – he collapsed back against his pillow and tried to calm his racing heart.

As if dreaming about Gabriella's rejection of him on Friday wasn't bad enough, not he was arguing with his dad in the middle of the Championship game – in song no less – about the musical auditions. Then Gabriella had walked away on the arm of the Knight's playmaker. But she did it only _after_ singing with him as they had at the ledge on New Years – that very song – and then smiled and departed, telling him that they were from different worlds and could never be even friends.

It had made little sense, but it had been like his worst fears come true.

First Gabriella had rejected him for reasons unknown and now his own father was reprimanding him about singing – in song!

Throwing one arm over his eyes, he groaned softly, Gabriella's image appearing almost immediately. Not the way he'd seen her in his dream, but how she'd look on Friday. His dad's inability to deal with the singing thing was a moot point when Gabriella wouldn't even talk to him. First he had to figure out what he'd done wrong and apologize for it, but he didn't know how to do that if she kept avoiding him.

His dad would either come around or he wouldn't; and when Troy focused completely on the championship game _after_ reconciling with Gabriella - hopefully in time for callbacks - he'd prove just how dedicated he was to the team. But before he could do that, he had to figure out why Gabriella wasn't talking to him.

Somewhere in the middle of his mind's wandering, Troy drifted back to sleep, his sub consciousness playing back every interaction they'd had since she'd walked out on him and their discussion in the gym when his father had dismissed her out of hand. There weren't many and when he woke again to find the day half gone and he was in no better shape than when he'd initially woken.

He'd come up with no plausible reason why Gabriella would suddenly stop talking to him - unless his friends had gotten to her. But he didn't think so. Chad would have bragged about getting her to back off if he'd masterminded it.

"Troy, are you awake?"

The knock at his door brought his arm off his face, and he propped himself up on his elbows. "Yeah, mom - did you need something?"

"Your father and I are going out; could you mow the grass and take out the garbage while we're gone?"

Ugh. "Sure. Anything else?" If nothing else, chores would keep him off the court and occupied. After yesterday, he didn't have even the slightest urge to practice.

"Just the dishes. You feeling okay, honey?"

"Just a little tired. Have fun."

"Be good. We'll be back in time for dinner." She paused. "Oh, and at four put the covered dish that's in the fridge into the over. It's programmed so all you have to do is move it from one place to the other."

"Got it." Troy flopped back on his pillow as he listened to his mother's footsteps fade away. Sunday; chore day. For once he didn't mind. He waited until he heard his parent's car drive away before climbing out of bed. Pulling on a pair of track pants and a t-shirt, he headed for the kitchen.

Collecting the garbage and taking it out was the main chore his dad hated so his mother had, by proxy, assigned it to him. Today, trekking all over the house to collect the garbage wasn't nearly as tedious as he'd previously found it; it gave him a chance to organize his thoughts – and time for optimism to rear its head.

Would Gabriella still be upset with him tomorrow at School? Since he didn't know why she wasn't talking with him, it was possible that it was something she'd needed to work out over the weekend and tomorrow he'd be able to have a discussion with her like they'd had all week.

All week.

Shaking his head as he tied off the large garbage bag, he couldn't believe the short timeframe in which Gabriella's opinion had become so important to him. He needed her to think well of him, to believe in him – in Troy, not the Basketball guy everyone else believed in. Having disappointed her was enough to make his chest hurt.

As of Monday evening it would be two weeks since he and Gabriella had first sang together at New Years; two weeks. One week spent getting her out of his head and wondering what she was doing – or pretending that the incredible experience on stage had never happened. The second week he'd found her again and it had felt like fate; only to be torn apart in five short days.

Hauling the garbage to the box in the alley, Troy threw the bag into it with a vengeance – but was careful not to rip the bag. Five days where he'd felt like he could be himself whenever he was around her. Three of those days had been spent fending off his friends and having them ride him like a lame horse about his singing secret being revealed when they hadn't technically auditioned for the winter musical.

Not that he really regretted it; practicing those days and spending time with Gabriella had been well worth the grief his friends had been giving him – until Friday. But Gabriella didn't know about their little meeting or his plan to keep his friends off his back. Of course, now he didn't need it… but he hoped he would and that Gabriella would talk to him Monday.

Deciding not to push his luck since she hadn't called him back, he didn't call her to ask her to call him; instead he decided to wait until Monday when he could talk to her in person. Of course, the tricky part would be if she was still avoiding him; not that she could for long with them in the same homeroom and he hoped she'd at least let him talk if nothing else.

Finished with the garbage, he headed for the shed to pull out the lawn mower, his spirits lifted; Monday was the beginning of a new day, a new week – and hopefully whatever problem Gabriella had on Friday would have faded away.

Buoyed by that small hope, Troy set about mowing the lawn. He didn't hit the court again – and probably wouldn't until he'd resolved things with Gabriella tomorrow – but he felt a surge of optimism that had been missing all weekend.

----------

_Monday - cafeteria_

Troy flipped his milk carton idly in one hand, preoccupied by his thoughts. Gabriella hadn't even glanced his way during homeroom and she'd avoided him when he'd tried to catch her in the hallway afterwards; not unlike their first day back after New Years. Minus the cell phone fiasco and the detention thing. Instead she'd spent it talking with Taylor and hadn't spared him a look.

His optimistic hope from Sunday had slowly shriveled, but it hadn't died. Maybe she needed him to make the first move - to say something first? If he could find her.

He headed without thinking towards the table where his team usually ate – and just about bumped into the beautiful object of his thoughts. A grin split his lips before he could stop it as their eyes locked. For a split second she smiled back – and then it died, the light in her eyes dying away. As he opened his mouth to speak, she broke the eye contact and walked deliberately around him, not giving him a chance to say his piece.

Whatever hope Sunday had brought died in that moment.

In Gabriella's eyes there had momentarily been a spark, a joy – and then it had faded, disappearing like dust in the wind; and he didn't know why.

Watching her sit, his stomach twisting, the thought of food – and his friend's company – was suddenly unappealing. Chad tried to catch his eye as he turned to move, but he shook his head, heading for the roof top garden the Science Club so meticulously cared for.

He needed to be alone, needed to think this through and figure out what he'd done; and he needed to do it today before the gap between he and Gabriella grew any wider. As he climbed the stairs towards the rooftop, he reviewed once again their interactions and came up with the same answer as before.

Nothing.

Not a thing that indicated she'd been mad at him before that Friday at the end of lunch hour. By the time he'd reached the rooftop patio he'd reached the conclusion this weekend had only brought home.

Gabriella wouldn't talk with him, and he didn't know why.

Feeling wretched, he privately wondered if the fates were laughing at him; meeting Gabriella, emerging as something more than he'd always been with her help – and then tearing it away so painfully that it was a solid ache in the center of his chest. It was like someone had decided to dangle an irresistible chance before him and then delighted in taking it away.

His shoulders slumped as their meeting in the cafeteria belatedly enforced something else. If Gabriella wouldn't talk to him, there was nothing he could do to change her mind. The callbacks would happen without them and he didn't know if he'd be able to focus on the big game without knowing what he'd done – or how to fix it.

Desolate, the feeling of having lost something special before it had ever been truly discovered settled about his shoulders like a weight as he unwrapped his sandwich and regarded it dispassionately. Taking a bite simply because he knew he had to eat – and not because he was hungry – he stared our across the roof of the school and despaired.

Gabriella wouldn't talk with him, and he didn't know why. He'd lost her friendship and without knowing what he'd done couldn't regain it. It was enough to make him want to cry.

_fin_


	6. Weekend Woes: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Weekend Woes**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

hms fan  
2009-08-01 . chapter 1

aw bless him grate job

JennCorinthos  
2008-12-23 . chapter 1

AWE! Poor Troy... Loved this...

JENNIFER

ibelieveintruelove  
2008-11-04 . chapter 1

Aww poor Troy! I just want to give him a huge hug! This is a great story though, I love seeing things from Troy's point of view. Nice work!

Magical Meerkat  
2008-09-03 . chapter 1

Wow that is great loved it

Camp Rockians  
2008-09-02 . chapter 1

nice job!

ChasleyVega  
2008-08-31 . chapter 1

wow... that was IMPRESSIVE!

ilyilyx3  
2008-08-30 . chapter 1

Wow. Just, wow. That was seriously one of the best, most well-written things I've ever read. I loved how you portrayed Troy's thoughts. This makes me want to read more, even though we all know what happens next. Amazing job. :)

Literature Is Life  
2008-08-30 . chapter 1

That was beautifully written. A perfect missing-moment.


	7. Coming Clean

**Title:** Coming Clean

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** Troy learns what his teammates did in letting Gabriella see what he was telling them - and plans to get her back

----------

**Coming Clean**

Troy stared at Chad feeling as if they'd just sucker punched him.

"You did... what?"

Chad, Zeke and Jason shared a nervous look. They'd half expected Troy to explode when he learned what they'd done. Instead, their Captain was staring at them in a complete lack of comprehension. Or perhaps it was simple incredulity that his friends had the gall to try and dictate with whom and how he spent his free time.

"We thought this whole singing thing was ruining our chance at winning the game this Friday," Chad told him honestly, repeating himself for the third time. "So we asked Taylor and the decathlon team to help us split you and Gabriella up. I knew if I pushed hard enough you'd snap and say something to get us off your back; Taylor just helped us make sure what you said and did was heard by Gabriella."

Suddenly, everything that had happened this past weekend had a reason, and as Troy stared at his friends, he knew with an almost painful clarity that everything - all of it - was his own fault. He'd been played by his friends, goaded and prodded, ridden to the breaking point... and snapped.

No, that wasn't right. He hadn't snapped; he'd broken under the pressure and given them the means to make his life miserable. And in the process, he'd hurt the only person who'd ever met and liked him without knowing about his East High Superstar status.

"You..." Troy shook his head, staring back across the rooftops but not really seeing anything except for Gabriella's face the way she'd looked on Friday when telling him she wouldn't sing with him anymore. "You guys had... no... right..."

None of his three team mates stepped any closer; they simply waited and watched silently as he struggled with what they'd done - which had to simply funnel his words to where they'd wanted to go. No one had made him say anything, no one had forced him to denounce her the way he had and, as Troy realized exactly what he'd done, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed, his face coming to rest in his hands.

Gabriella probably hated him. He'd said some inadvertently hurtful things about her without realizing she could see or hear him - and worse, he remembered every single one. He remembered telling his team mates that she wasn't important, that the singing meant nothing to him - and he remembered being scared to death they'd never believe him. That they'd see through every single one of those lies and call him on it.

Apparently he'd been convincing enough that the person who'd begun to know him better than even Chad had believed it as well. Maybe he was a better actor than he'd thought.

But how did he fix it?

Gabriella's attitude in the cafeteria had been cold - or so he'd thought at the time - but it was really hurt. He could see that now. She was still reeling, still recovering from his words to his team mates. He must have taken everything she'd thought of him in those moments and shattered it completely. He must have reinforced every stereotype she'd ever heard about him and become the monumentally, universally insensitive jock.

"Troy?"

His head stayed where it was - cradled in his hands. "She must hate me; thanks guys."

Chad's hand settled on his shoulder. "If she hated you, she would at least say something, wouldn't she?"

"She did." Troy raised his head to turn bleak eyes to his friends. "She told me off on Friday after lunch when I went to talk to her. No matter what I said, I never had any intention of giving up the singing thing, or her - I only wanted you to think I did so you'd stop riding me."

"Did she scream at you?"

Troy shook his head, shrugging off Chad's hand in the process. "I wish she had."

"Troy, look," Chad backed away, seeming to understand his friend didn't want him close. "At least you know why she won't talk to you, right? So you can explain-"

"Right - and say what, guys? That I was too scared of having you guys tease me about her and our singing I wasn't willing to tell you the truth?" Rising to his feet, Troy rounded on his friends. "I should have! At least then she'd know I don't consider her a secret and I'm not ashamed of her. She's a friend, just like any of you, except she doesn't play hoops. Is that such a bad thing?"

"We just thought..."

"I know what you guys thought, Jason; and you're wrong." Troy laughed, shaking his head. "I haven't sunk a basket since Gabriella stopped talking to me - and my game has never been more on than when I got back from New Years."

The three reluctantly nodded; Troy's game had been escalated over the holidays and they sometimes envied the fact he was the coach's son. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean Gabriella had anything to do with it."

"She's got _everything_ to do with it!" The explosion was sharp, but soft; Troy was angry they didn't understand. "Gabriella is the _reason_ I've been practicing so hard. I came back from New Years with singing and basketball on the brain; I had to show myself that if I wanted to explore other talents it wouldn't be at the expense of hoops. Only you guys couldn't handle the idea that I'm not basketball 24/7!"

"And Gabriella can?"

"What do you think I do when I spend time with her?"

"We figured you sang."

"Sometimes - but we mostly just talk. Basketball isn't the only thing I'm good at and it shouldn't be the only thing I do simply because _you guys_ can't handle my other interests."

"We're sorry," Zeke told him sincerely. "And we know we were wrong."

Chad continued the apology. "When you said that we're team mates; win together, lose together we didn't understand that you didn't only mean hoops, man."

Troy turned away from them again and walked to the only garden wall with a break in what covered the ledge. Bracing his hands on it, he flexed his fingers. Because of their interference, his first weekend back after vacation had been pure hell.

Yet, despite what his friends had done, Troy's real anger was focused on himself. If he'd simply told his friends off, that there was no way in hell he'd give up someone as special as Gabriella, none of this would have happened. Hell, he had a feeling his weekend would have turned out differently; he'd have likely spent a good portion with her.

Gabriella.

Would she forgive him when he told her the truth? Would she even talk to him, give him the chance to explain? Or would he be given more of the cold shoulder as he had in the cafeteria? Would chasing after her really do him any good or would the prize at the end be worth it?

He _almost_ snorted. Gabriella was worth every grovel, every apology he'd need to make to get back into her good graces. Having her mad at him had resulted in three of the longest days of his life. It was hard to believe he'd really known her for less than a week. Met her for just over two, but really got to know her in just the last few days. They'd had a unique connection from the beginning, something that had both delighted and terrified him - and caused him no amount of pain because of it.

"So... what're you gonna do?"

Chad's question broke into Troy's thoughts even as he wondered himself what he could do. "I'll have to apologize for starters."

"Are you still going to sing with her?"

Troy glanced back at the trio with a half smile. "If she'll have me. You guys aren't getting out of your promise to hear me sing that easily."

"Then we're good?"

Turning, Troy found a real smile for Chad's worried expression. "We're good. No matter what you guys did, the fault is still mine. I should have just told you guys the truth from the start. The Championship game is something I've been looking forward to for a long time and I'm not going to let singing with Gabriella interfere with my performance - but I won't give it or her up either."

"Man, you should just ask her out already," Chad rolled his eyes. "A real girlfriend we could have handled."

"Right." Shaking his head, Troy wandered back to the bench where he'd left his lunch just as the warning bell rang. "I'll see you guys at practice."

"Aren't you going to try and talk to Gabriella?"

"Huh?" Troy stopped, surprised. "Are you guys... _encouraging_ me to skip practice?"

"You did say you hadn't sunk a basket since she stopped talking to you," Zeke reminded him.

"Yeah," Jason grinned. "We wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself in front of everyone, I mean, it would be a bad thing if our Captain couldn't sink the ball."

"Maybe I'll just make you guys run dribbling drills all afternoon," Troy shot back tartly. "I'll be there; and later, I'll find Gabriella." And, he added silently to himself, beg her forgiveness on bended knee if necessary. Someway, somehow, he'd think of the perfect way to apologize so she couldn't be able to tell him no.

_fin_


	8. Coming Clean: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Coming Clean**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

hms fan  
2009-08-01 . chapter 1

awesome :)

2009-07-22 . chapter 1

I love the missing moments!!

JennCorinthos  
2008-12-23 . chapter 1

This is so great I loved it...

JENNIFER

ibelieveintruelove  
2008-11-04 . chapter 1

Awesome! You're the man Troy, go get her! ;-)

Magical Meerkat  
2008-09-03 . chapter 1

I really like that it was brilliant loved it.

Camp Rockians  
2008-09-01 . chapter 1

Nice story. It was one of the best High School Musical one-shots. I really love it!


	9. Rekindled

**Title:** Rekindled

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** Gabriella has accepted Troy's apology sing-a-gram and joined him on the balcony

----------

**Rekindled**

Gabriella's gaze met Troy's as she looked back over her shoulder at him, a smile having curved her lips, her eyes bright with happy tears. This was the Troy she remembered; the one she'd met on Vacation. This was the Troy she'd spent last week with, who had come to her rescue when she'd stepped up to audition on her own; and volunteered to sing with her. This was the Troy she'd sung with at New Years.

His lips spread in a delighted, almost euphoric smile as their eyes locked and he turned, ducking slightly under the branch overhanging that rail of the balcony to join her. They'd been apart, separated by misunderstanding and hurt for just over three days, and being close to her once again made everything suddenly feel right.

The band that had been tight around his chest since she'd rejected him on Friday eased, disappearing as he stepped close, not daring to place a hand on her, but daring to be close enough her shoulder brushed his chest. They shared a smile and, once again, he was taken with the urge to kiss her, just as he had been at New Years.

_"You should just ask her out already."_ Chad's words came back to him, but with everything he and Gabriella had just been through, he wasn't willing to push his luck no matter how tempting it might be.

"I really _am_ sorry, Gabriella." His words were soft, heartfelt; he needed to know she understood. "I never meant to hurt you."

"Sure you're not just playing to your audience again, Troy?"

"You mean you?"

She nodded and he could clearly read the uncertainty in her gaze. While she might have agreed to resume singing with him, he had a long way to go to reassuring her as to the importance of her presence in his life.

"You see me. I meant it when I said that the guy you met on Vacation is more me. The guy who sings with you - that's really me. When I'm with you I don't have to be "The basketball guy"; I don't have to be anything but me and that's special. Really special. I should have just told the guys that."

"And open yourself up to more teasing?"

He settled for singing a line from their new duet. "You know the world can see us, in a way that's different than who we are."

Her smile was well worth the softly sung line - and she picked it up at her cue without looking at the music. "Creating space between us, 'till we're separate hearts."

"They can try," He dared to touch her then, reaching up to brush a tendril of hair behind her ear. "But I promise you'll never doubt me again, Gabriella."

"Who; Troy Bolton the superstar? He was easy to believe - he made sure of it."

Wincing, Troy shook his head. "That Troy you saw is the one everyone sees; the image that's expected of the coach's son and the team's captain. That guy would never dream of anything except basketball all the time - he'd breathe it, eat it, live it all the time... and I suppose he did until this past New Year's."

"What, did he find another interest?"

"Better," he acknowledged. "He found an interest and someone to share it with. Someone who didn't know about the image he'd been living for the last three years and so didn't expect to see it."

"Just someone you met, huh?"

"Better than just someone," contradicting her, he deliberately changed the phrase so it didn't echo what she'd heard on Friday. "I found this super shy, really nice brainiac who can't resist rising to the challenge when singing with me."

"She have a name?"

"I think you know her. Am I forgiven?"

"Close." Her hand lifted to join his, twining their fingers together and drew his away from her face - but didn't relinquish it. "I was hurt when I thought I was wrong about you, Troy, I-"

Shaking his head, Troy cut her off. "Never. You know me, Gabriella. You've seen me lose my temper and pushed into saying things to keep the guys off my back - but never again. I told Chad, Zeke and Jason today when they told me what they'd done that I wouldn't give you up - if I could convince you to take me back."

"You make it sounds like I own you."

"Don't you?"

Blinking, she stared at him surprised, suddenly and acutely aware of how close they stood and of their intertwined fingers resting on the railing.

Troy shook his head, trying to break the tension between them. "I mean, you brought out a side of me that no one - not even I - had ever known about. That part of me _is _yours, Gabriella; you helped him step free of the basketball star's shadow."

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"You're forgiven - on one condition."

"Only one?"

She nodded. "Can I have a hug?"

Their fingers separated as Troy stepped that extra quarter step closer to take her in his arms. As they came about her shoulders, she tucked her head under his chin and closed her eyes. He hadn't held her like that before, but it was something she hadn't thought to get the chance to do and wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. Troy eased back before she was ready to let go, but she didn't cling. She wouldn't let herself.

"Feel better?"

"Free," she hedged. "Are you sure you want to do this, Troy?"

"What, the callbacks?"

Gabriella nodded.

"Never more sure of anything. What I told you on Tuesday is as true now as it was then."

"Is that all?"

"Nah." He eased back a little, using the railing for support. "It also means you have to spend time with me."

_"Gabriella?"_

She whirled, glancing back towards her bedroom door, her gaze darting from Troy to the open balcony door and back. "I have to go."

"I figured. See you at school tomorrow?"

_"Gabriella? Are you alright?"_

Striding to the door, Gabriella yelled back into the room. "Fine mom, just getting ready for bed."

_"Did you finish your homework?"_

"You know I did."

_"May I come in?"_

Gabriella cast a frantic look towards Troy - who was in the shadows but on the wrong side of the balcony from where he would need to climb down. And, to be honest, she didn't want him to go just yet.

"I'm a little er... indecent mom."

_"I'll see you in the morning then; sleep well."_

Her mother's footsteps moved away and she slumped against the doorframe in relief. Troy's voice made her jump when it spoke close to her ear. "You don't look indecent to me."

"It was all I could think of so she wouldn't come in. She may like you, but I don't think she'd appreciate finding you on my balcony at..." glancing at the clock, Gabriella's eyebrows rose. "Almost ten thirty."

"My folks wouldn't like it much either - didn't stop me from coming though did it?"

"It should have."

Troy was already shaking his head as she spoke. "I don't know about you, but I spent all weekend having nightmares because you wouldn't talk to me. I had to talk to you tonight or I'd have never slept and then I'd be a wreck tomorrow when I tried to apologize."

"You had another plan?"

"I didn't really have one," his admission was sheepish. "With you I rarely do, Gabriella; I just go with what feels right."

"Thanks Troy."

"For what?"

"For telling me the truth."

"Thanks for listening. I didn't think you would."

"I almost didn't." She smiled faintly. "But I'm glad I did. Homeroom in the morning?"

"I have a better idea; Kelsey's been in the music room before school every morning since she started with us; we've missed two days of practice and a weekend. If we practice before and after school – that is before homeroom and after practice every day, we should be ready by Thursday."

"Are you sure about this?"

"The only thing I'm sure about is what I'm feeling right now; and _this_ feels right. I want to do this; do you?"

Gabriella pulled the sheet music tight into her chest and hugged it. "I'll see you before class in the music room. Goodnight, Troy."

"Goodnight Gabriella."

_fin_


	10. Rekindled: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Rekindled**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

hms fan  
2009-08-01 . chapter 1

loved it:)

JennCorinthos  
2008-12-23 . chapter 1

This was so great ...

JENNIFER

ibelieveintruelove  
2008-10-30 . chapter 1

Aw! I love that they were almost caught, lol. Nice job!

Magical Meerkat  
2008-09-03 . chapter 1

Ahh like the other two i read i loved it

Camp Rockians  
2008-09-02 . chapter 1

nice story! i love troyella!

PinkRangerV  
2008-09-02 . chapter 1

Aww! That's not angsty at all--so cute! And I was up waay to early--I'm not demanding that anything blow up! ;) Seriously, though, good one.

threedognight  
2008-09-02 . chapter 1

seriously loving all of your missing scene-ish fics! They have all been amazing!! Hope to read more :)


	11. Callback Caper

**Title:** Callback Caper

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** The Wildcats planning session to enable Troy and Gabriella to make the Callbacks.

----------

**Callback Caper**

Troy arrived in the science lab five minutes after the lunch bell to find everyone was already present. Glancing behind him, he closed the door and drew everyone's attention. Gabriella grinned in anticipation as his gaze sung past her - stopped for a split second - and then continued. Checking the faces about the room, Troy found every single one of them to be eager to hear the plan he'd started concocting since reading about the callback time and date change.

Rubbing his hands together, he couldn't stop the anticipatory grin that mirror Gabriella's as it stretched across his lips. "Are we ready?"

"I'm dying to hear this plan," Taylor told him honesty. "I didn't think anything would tear you away from Basketball."

"Cute," Striding into the room, Troy pulled out the notebook he'd been using that morning to write down his ideas. His mind had been spinning since reading the callback change and he was bound and determined to sing with Gabriella - if for no other reason than to show what an amazing voice she possessed. She didn't deserve to be in Sharpay's shadow because she wasn't given the opportunity to shine. "Okay, here's what I've got so far. There's nothing concrete, but I'm hoping you guys will have some ideas on how to flesh this out."

The other gathered around, Gabriella ending up pressed up against his left shoulder as Chad crowded her from behind to see over both her and Troy's shoulders. Their gazes locked and Gabriella blushed as Chad coughed deliberately.

"Uh, Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna explain this?"

Forcing his gaze back to the page, Troy pointed out the first section. "Okay, this is everything that will cause an evacuation of the gym. We can't just stop the game for a couple of minutes and I can't disappear if dad subs me off - and he won't." There was no ego in the statement; it was simply fact. Troy was the playmaker on the team which meant he only came off if injured - and even then it was only if he couldn't continue.

"Good thing you're the Captain and not me."

Chad's comment made everyone laugh before Troy continued. "So whatever we decide is going to have to be something that stops the game for ten or fifteen minutes; something that will force the gym's closure for safety reasons, but allow it to be reopened once they discover the issue."

"What'd you have in mind?"

Troy glanced back at Gabriella to answer her question. "This morning I thought about flooding the place, but that could be dangerous."

"What about an air issue?"

"Or an electrical outage?" All eyes turned to Taylor and she took a half step back. "What?"

"Taylor, you're a genius!" Troy started to write it down. "If we can cause electrical issues through the gym that interferes with the score clock and lighting, they'll have to call a time out and evacuate the gym; it's in the school's safety regulations."

"How do you know that?"

The Basketball star shrugged. "It pays to know what kinds of things can interfere with practice and game schedules. Can it be done?"

Taylor's expression turned smug as she shared a look with several of the other students on the decathlon team. "The electrical systems throughout the school are child's play. I think between the five of us we can come up with something."

"Good." Troy glanced to his fellow teammates. "Is there anything you need from us?"

"A distraction to get the equipment we'll need to plant in place."

"Will it take long?"

The braniacs shared another look. "Ten minutes or so?"

"Then you already know what you're going to do?"

"Leave it to us, Troy," Taylor assured him. "We'll need to get into the electrical room that houses the relays for the score clock and the gymnasium lights, other than that, we'll handle it from the decathlon."

"Wouldn't a timer be a better idea than whatever it is you're planning to do remotely?"

"Maybe," Taylor agreed, shooting Chad a look of surprised respect."But a timer can be located and stopped. I'm sure they examine the connections for the clock before every game, especially a Championship game so a timer would be pretty obvious - and it might be misconstrued as something else."

"It what?"

Gabriella came to the Basketball player's aid. "Someone might think it's something else - like a bomb."

"It'd stop the game, but it would also stop the callbacks and the decathlon until the bomb squad came," Taylor confirmed. "And we don't want to stop them all, just the game and our decathlon for a short period of time."

"Good point." Troy crossed a couple of things off his list. "We can get you in for the time you need - I'll have to lift my dad's keys during practice and get them back before we hit the showers. Do you have what you need to do it today?"

"We can swing it."

"Good." Troy dropped down to item two on his list. "Now, how do we stop the decathlon without linking the two together? We don't want people to get the idea that the issues at each event are linked."

"We could sweep in and kidnap Gabriella."

The group stopped, staring at Jason blankly and then erupted in laughter. Zeke slapped him on the shoulder. "Good idea, except it wouldn't just end the decathlon, it would end up with a man hunt."

"I don't think my mom would like that too much," Gabriella added. "Something a little less drastic, okay?"

"And something that won't give her mother a heart attack," Troy agreed. "What goes on at the decathlon anyway?"

Gabriella responded dryly. "Equations. Lots and lots of equations."

"And experiments." Taylor added with a dazzling smile. "We have to answer a series of complex questions, breakdown the elements to their basic levels and part of it is showcase the practical application of the equation, not just the theory behind it."

"Meaning?"

"We get to mix chemicals." Gabriella squeezed Troy's shoulder, empathizing with the slightly glazed look in his eyes. Chad, Zeke and Jason all had the same look - though Zeke less than the others. Had to be the baking thing. "It's part of the-"

"So make something explode." Zeke cut her off, his expression thoughtful - and drew everyone's incredulous stares.

"Explode?"

The tall basketball player nodded. "Sure, why not? When I started baking I kept mixing the wrong things and ended up with some pretty spectacular messes. Can't you do the same thing?"

"We could," The decathlon team shared another look. "Except we're not dealing with harmless chemicals during the competition; each one has the potential to be lethal."

"And we don't want to kill anyone," Troy added firmly. "Just make them have to leave. Maybe not an explosion, but something that could explode?"

"Or a smell?" Chad's inspiration was hesitant. "Chemicals smell, don't they?"

"Smell..." Taylor looked pensive for a moment and then stared at Chad with something akin to real respect this time. For someone she'd always pegged as something of a lunk-head athlete, he was coming up with some truly viable ideas. "That could work actually. If we attach the hotplate they're using to keep the chemicals at the proper liquefied state to a program that will overheat them, several of the chemicals emit foul smells when boiling."

"Uh..."

Gabriella laughed. "It means we can do it, Jason - right Taylor?"

"Right. I think we've got enough." Taylor reached past Troy and grabbed his note book, tearing his 'planning' pages out of the front.

"Hey! I have my math notes on the back of that."

"Gabriella will give you hers," Taylor tossed back as she turned away with the pages. Lighting one of the Bunsen burners, she scooped a pair of tongs from a nearby work station and held the paper overtop to ignite it. "There can't be any evidence we had anything to do with what's going to happen and this, Troy Bolton, counts as evidence."

"Only if you can read his chicken scratch."

The Basketball players laughed as Troy turned to glare at Chad darkly. "Says the guy whose notes read like a preschooler's."

"Boys," Gabriella was freed as Chad backed away from Troy's dark look and staggered a little. Troy, being the gentleman he was, turned to steady her. "If we know what we're doing, we might want to hit the cafeteria before anyone notices we're all missing."

The decathlon team departed first, Taylor staying behind to endure the safe disposal of the burnt papers, before the Basketball team departed. Troy hung back, keeping Gabriella at his side with a light grip on his arm. He rose to his feet with a nod at Taylor. "We've got practice and we'd better fill Kelsey in. Thanks Taylor."

"It was your idea." Taylor demurred as she swept the burnt paper into a nearby disposal unit. "We just fleshed it out. Have fun."

Gabriella linked her hand to Troy's and pulled him from the Science lab; Ryan and Sharpay's efforts to keep them from the auditions were going to be all for naught - and it was going to be fun in the process.

_fin_


	12. Callback Caper: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Callback Caper**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

hms fan  
2009-08-01 . chapter 1

loved it :)

ibelieveintruelove  
2008-10-30 . chapter 1

Cute! I love this story - I always wondered how they planned it all out lol. And the little moments between Chad & Taylor and Troy & Gabriella are much appreciated ;-)

Magical Meerkat  
2008-09-09 . chapter 1

LOL loved it! it was bril Ha kidnap Gabriella! go jason

dreamer 3097  
2008-09-05 . chapter 1

this is good


	13. Something More

**Title:** Something More

**Author:** Jade-Max

**Summary:** You're only as strong as the sum of your parts; strive for something more.

**Notes: **This was _supposed_ to be a _short _HSM fic. It turned into something of a monster ficlet - but it _is_ a one-shot.

----------

**Something More**

Troy kept his hand linked in Gabriella's as they left the stage, pausing only to collect the lab coat that was a part of her decathlon attire. The students who'd come to watch them audition were still cheering as they descended the stairs together, Gabriella blushing with the ovation. Troy lifted one hand to wave to everyone - and stopped dead in his tracks.

His dad stood at the back of the auditorium - and he was _smiling_. Troy didn't quite know what to make of it. If he'd known his father was coming to watch them audition, he might not have been able to sing - and things would have turned differently.

"Troy?"

Gabriella tugged on his hand, her concerned tone drawing his attention. "Sorry, what?"

"You okay?"

Troy nodded to where his father stood, and Gabriella followed his line of sight. "I guess I'll find out sooner rather than later what my dad thinks of the singing thing, huh?"

"He looks happy - I think. Come on."

As if the student body understood their direction as Gabriella and Troy headed for Coach Bolton, the applause died away and the students began to filter from the auditorium using the opposite exit. IT gave them a clear pathway up the aisle to Troy's father. Troy didn't relinquish Gabriella's hand as they stopped in front of Jack Bolton.

"A singer, huh?"

Troy tensed at his dad's words. "Dad, I-"

"Gabriella!" The trio turned as Gabriella's mother came rushing across one of the rows and engulfed Gabriella in a hug. "I can't believe it, why didn't you tell me you were doing this?"

Gabriella's hand was still caught in Troy's as she hugged her mother with one arm and then pulled back, glancing nervously from her mother to Coach Bolton and back. "Troy and I didn't want anyone to be disappointed if we didn't get the part."

"Disappointed? Oh, sweetie, how could I be disappointed after _that_?"

Gabriella looked to Troy in a silent plea as she glanced between her mother and his father. Troy smiled, mustering his courage and squeezed her fingers. "Ms. Montez, this is my father, Coach Bolton. Dad, this is Gabriella's mother, Ms. Montez."

The adults shook hands. "You didn't know about this, huh?"

Ms. Montez shook her head. "Gabriella didn't say a thing."

"Did you know she could sing?"

"Not like that."

The adults turned identical contemplative looks at the two teenagers who were standing side by side - and hadn't yet relinquished their supportive clasp on one another.

"I had a hint that Troy was interested, but I hadn't heard him sing before now."

"You must be proud."

Coach Bolton looked contemplative. "He's always been the basketball guy-"

Gabriella felt Troy tense next to her and stepped closer, grasping the hand still in hers with both hands.

"-I never thought he didn't want to be just the basketball guy."

"Neither did he, Coach Bolton," Gabriella blurted. "Singing wasn't something Troy _ever _thought of doing."

"Which begs the question, Ms. Montez," Troy's father told Gabriella pointedly, "where did he get the idea when none of us knew he could sing - yet you did?"

_"May I have your attention please," _the PA system crackled to life, saving Gabriella and Troy from having to explain. _"Power has been restored to the gymnasium and the chemistry lab has been aired out. It is once again safe to resume all activities. Thank you."_

"Look at that, gotta run," Gabriella squeezed Troy's fingers before letting go. "Good luck."

"You too!"

She flashed him a smile before darting out of the gymnasium, her mother on her heels with a polite smile. Troy flashed his dad a grin, "Shall we go get that championship?"

_"What team?"_

_"Wildcats!"_

Troy jumped, spinning in place to find his team had stayed behind as the auditorium had cleared out and had been privy to the discussion between him, Gabriella and their respective parents. Not close enough to eavesdrop, but there was no way they'd missed the discussion - or Jack Bolton's question; and Troy knew he'd be hounded for answers later.

Chad slung an arm about Troy's shoulders. "We couldn't go back to the game without our captain, now could we?"

"Let's do this."

A cheer went up from the team as Chad took up the chant again.

"What team?"

_"Wildcats!"_

"What team?"

_"Wildcats!"_

"What team?"

_"Wildcats! Get'cha head in the game!"_

They poured from the auditorium at a run, cheering as they raced for the gymnasium, Troy at the head of the pack with Chad - he still had to change back into his game uniform - but the discussion with his father wasn't over and he knew it. It had simply been postponed. If he was lucky they'd be able to win the championship and divert his dad's attention for good.

Eventually his and Gabriella's first meeting would need to be explained and now that everyone knew they could sing, it wouldn't be as strange a story as it would have been before New Years. A smile on his face, Troy raced for the locker room as the Wildcats headed for the bench and their side of the court.

Later, the discussion would follow and he'd have to explain but it would be an explanation that wouldn't begin with an accusation. He was something more than just "The Basketball Guy", something more than just the playmaker - he was something more than what he'd always been and it was a liberating feeling.

--------

_Later that night_

"So what'd you tell your mom?"

"I chickened out - you?"

"Dad got to mine before I did. I snuck out my window when I heard her call for an explanation - and a demonstration."

They shared a laugh, glancing around to ensure they weren't heard as they sat on the monkey bars at the playground across the street from their school. "What're you going to tell her?"

Gabriella shrugged, cocking her head at him. "I haven't decided yet, you?"

Troy swung one leg up, using a bar to brace himself as he stared out across the field towards the gym where the celebration had happened before breaking up and the basketball team had all headed to Chad's for the after party. Except Troy; he'd opted to dodge the Wildcats and their inevitable questions for Gabriella's company. Not a bad trade off in his opinion. "I think I'll have to tell them about New Years. It's the only way to explain why I took a sudden interest in singing."

"And the freaky math girl?"

Troy laughed. "I don't see any freaky math girls around here."

"You're sweet, Troy, but I have no illusions as to what I am."

Turning to face her, he mirrored her pose. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Call yourself the freaky math girl? You're not, you know."

"Maybe not to you, playmaker."

He grinned. "Not just the playmaker anymore, huh?"

"I guess not. Does that bother you?"

"Not as much as it should - I think."

"What do you mean?"

Troy checked his position and then leaned back, using one of the bars as a brace along the center of his back as he stretched out, letting his legs dangle as the sun began to set. He cocked one arm - the one not on the same side as Gabriella - under his head. "I've gotten so used to being the basketball guy. I mean, it's a label I've been comfortable with, that I accepted as inevitable. This musical is going to change all that - I mean, it already has and that's not a bad thing, but I didn't really have time to think about it before."

"And you have time now?"

"Well, there's still practice and preparations for next season, but the musical's the next big thing. I never thought we'd beat out Sharpay and Ryan."

"Do you wish we hadn't?"

"Are you kidding me?" He grinned. "I get to spend all my free time with you over the next six weeks and not have to explain it to my folks."

Gabriella laughed. "And you would otherwise?"

"Wouldn't you?"

"I don't know," she looked away. "I haven't spent much time with guys before."

"How come?"

"Did you miss the 'freaky' part of the math girl label?" Her words held a bitter note.

"Hey, hey," Troy pushed himself up into a semi-sitting position, reached for her hand. "Just because you're smart doesn't make you a freak."

She sighed, clutching his hand but not looking at him. "I'd never met anyone who didn't know me as the freaky math girl first, Troy. Even here, it didn't take long for Taylor and Sharpay to figure it out. People meet me and that's all they'd see."

"Before you I'd never met anyone who didn't know me as the basketball guy; there's more to both of us than just those labels and tonight we proved it. They're a part of us, Gabriella, but that's not who we are."

"I know."

"Do you?"

Nodding, she finally glanced at him. "You'll fall if you keep that up."

"Nah," Troy grinned cockily. He was braced using one arm to keep his balance, the other refusing to relinquish her hand. "I'm good."

"You really are a nice guy, Troy. I never could have sung today if you hadn't made me focus on you."

"We make a good team."

She laughed. "Yeah, we do. Good thing our friends decided the same, huh?"

"They shouldn't have interfered to begin with." Troy finally released her arm and shifted, catching the bar with his knees as he slipped through them. His hands came up to catch his weight so he could swing down, and his feet hit the ground before he needed to let go - they weren't very high monkey bars. "I'm glad we worked our way through it."

"Me too." Gabriella swung gracefully down off the monkey bars, careful of her skirt, to join him and they settled on the platform which connected the bars to the rest of the playground. "So what happens now?"

"We do the winter musicale - Minnie."

Laughing together they settled back on the play set's base and stretched their legs out, Troy's feet hanging off the edge as the sun sank lower in the sky. "Think they'll miss us, Arnold?"

"Who?"

"Your team."

"Don't you mean _our_ teams?" He nudged her. "They're not just my friends you know."

"It's hard to believe sometimes."

"What is?"

Gabriella was silent, staring at the sky which was beginning to change color.

"Gabriella?"

"Sorry, it's just all so new still."

"What do you mean?"

"We've moved so often thanks to my mom's job that I don't usually make friends with anyone."

"Why not?"

"Leaving a new batch of friends every six to ten months isn't easy."

"Somehow I don't think that's the whole story."

Her laugh was soft; he'd learned to read her pretty good in the time they'd known one another. "People are usually afraid of me."

"Why?"

"A girl who's able to do math better than the teachers and doesn't need a text book to study?" She shook her head. "I was labeled as a freak honestly, Troy. I guess it was better in some ways to be on my own."

"Must have been lonely."

"Not anymore." Daringly, Gabriella laid her head against his shoulder, her gaze still on the setting sun. "Not since New Year's."

"You mean since school started back up."

"Yeah. Like kindergarten."

Troy chuckled. "Our friends will never let us live that one down."

"Only if we tell them about it."

They fell into a comfortable silence and Troy felt Gabriella shiver. Lifting one arm, he wrapped it around her shoulder without really thinking about it, the action as natural in some ways as breathing. She pressed into his side, slipping an arm around his waist under his jacket - and he froze, realizing what was happening. Gabriella pressed close, resting her head back on his shoulder. When she didn't move further, he began to relax by inches, simply accepting her place at his side and ejoying it.

Beyond them, the sky began taking on the pink, blue, purple and orange glows of a spectacular sunset. In silence, they watched as the sun began to sink beyond the horizon, painting the sky in deeper shades as it faded.

"Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"Were... were you going to... kiss me back in the gym?"

He tensed. "Uh... I..."

Gabriella continued, as if he hadn't said anything. "Because... if you were... I... I think I might have... um, I might have kissed you back."

"Might have?" Troy pulled away to look down at her to find her watching him somewhat uneasily. "Gabriella..." And it suddenly hit him why she was so uncertain, everything she'd told him about herself that evening clicking together. The frequent moves, the fact she didn't make friends, that she was a loner. "You've never been kissed - have you?"

She blushed and ducked her head, shaking it and confirming his suspicion.

"Ever come close?"

The heat in her cheeks rose. "Only if that's what you were going to do after the game."

"I could have killed Chad - the guy's got the _worst_ timing."

"So you were?"

"Yeah," it was Troy's turn to blush. "And I'd still like to kiss you if you'll let me."

"With no Chad around to interrupt?" Her tease was tinged with nervousness. "Troy, I don't want this to change our friendship."

"Me either." It was the only reason he'd _not_ kissed her yet. His impulsive move in the gym at the end of the game had been spurred by adrenaline and the very real need to let her share in the euphoria he'd been feeling. Kissing her with their triple win simmering between them had seemed like the most natural thing in the world; the conclusion that was expected after such a momentous day. "I guess that's up to us, huh?"

"I guess so."

"You don't sound convinced."

Gabriella shrugged and eased away from his side. "What do you think?"

"I think that we're friends first, no matter what. You know me better than anyone, even Chad. You're my best and closest friend and that's saying a lot. But... I don't want to be just your friend."

"What do you mean?"

"Once this Musicale thing is done, everyone is going to see what I see. Usually Sharpay and Ryan are the stars but because you and I will be, there are going to be just drama people in the audience. Some of those will be guys who will see you the way I do."

"Which is how?"

"A beautiful, talented, driven young woman that's more than just good at math. I like you a lot Gabriella; and not just as my best friend." He smiled faintly, his tone turning dry. "I don't normally have the urge to kiss my friends."

She giggled. "I'm sure Chad would be disappointed to hear that."

"Ha ha." He slipped out of his coat and offered it to her as she shivered away from his warmth "Here; you look a little cold."

Gabriella let him slip it around her shoulders and burrowing into the fabric with a smile. It smelled like him. "Thanks."

Troy tugged the lapels closed so she was enveloped in the jacket, privately admiring how _good_ she looked in it. The devil in his made him speak."You know... there's a team rule."

"What kind of rule?"

"About team jackets."

Looking down, she noticed that she was in fact wearing his team jacket. She hadn't noticed it was that particular coat when he'd come looking for her, mostly because she'd been too absorbed by his company. Just spending time with him was a gift she'd never expected to receive when her mother had been transferred. "What about team jackets?"

"The girl who agrees to wear your jacket becomes your girlfriend."

Gabriella's jaw dropped. "No way."

"Wildcat honor," he held one hand over his heart. "But I think they might make an exception in your case since you're my best friend and all..."

"An exception?" Gabriella's indignant retort was everything he'd hoped to hear. "What - because I'm your friend, I don't count as a girl?"

"You'd prefer they didn't?" Troy edged closer and searched her face for something he didn't quite understand himself. "Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Are you asking?"

"Yeah." All teasing was gone and only the solemn, seriousness of the situation lay between them. Troy hadn't intended to ask her just then, but the moment had happened and he wasn't about to pass it up. "I don't want you to just be my best friend, Gabriella; I want you to be something more - I want _us_ to be something more."

"Aren't we already?"

Troy daringly reached out to cup her face with one hand. "Maybe."

Her breath caught as Troy leaned in, looking deeply into her eyes, and instinct took over as she tilted her head to his, unconsciously aligning her head for his kiss. "Maybe?"

Before he lost his nerve, Troy leaned in to kiss her. He'd intended it to be a soft, quick brush of lips - but somehow it didn't end up that way. Instead their lips had met - and fused. His last conscious thought was that he was glad Chad had interrupted them before; he'd have killed his friend if he'd interrupted them during.

The sun was down, the colors having faded from the sky and the stars winking to life when they finally pulled apart. Gabriella's face was flushed, high color dark splashes on her cheek bones as they both struggled to breathe normally. Their gazes locked, holding in a moment of silent communication. As if of its own accord, Gabriella's hand lifted to Troy's face, cupping it as she drew him unresistingly back.

Her first kiss was followed by a second and then a third. Only Troy pulling away stopped the spinning that was overtaking her head. She'd never been kissed before, but something told her that this kind of a reaction to a first kiss wasn't normal. As her gaze focused on Troy's, she noted his soft smile first.

There was none of the smugness she'd sometimes heard the gossips whisper about when it came to jocks. But then, Troy had never been your typical jock.

"Was that a yes?"

She laughed, breaking the tension between them and threw her arms around him for a hug. "That's a yes."

Joining in her delight as he pushed to his feet, he pulled her with him so he could hug her properly. He couldn't find the words so he kissed her again, swiftly before pulling back to look at her. "You look good in my jacket."

"It's my jacket now."

Troy arched his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh really?"

Gabriella grinned. "Yup. If the girl wearing it is your girlfriend then it makes it mine until you ask for it back."

"And if I never do?"

"Then I guess I'm yours forever."

"Good." His eyes sparkled, and his grip on her tightened fractionally before he released her into a looser embrace. "I guess we can't keep avoiding them, huh?"

"Who? Our friends or our parents?"

"Both?" Troy made a face. "Who do you want to face first?"

"Neither." Gabriella pulled out of his arms and darted across the playground, bending to scoop the basketball they'd found earlier from its place on the edge of the court. "I say we let them wonder!"

Catching the ball as she threw it his way, he grinned. "Until they corner us you mean?"

Nodding, she motioned for him to join her on the court. "Something like that."

Troy bounced the ball as he hit the edge of the tarmac, the lower hoops for the younger kids making him feel awkwardly tall. Bouncing it easily from hand to hand he sent it her way - and grinned as she barely caught it. "Curve your hand."

"What?"

"Curve your hand and bend your elbow to absorb the impact, like this," he demonstrated with one arm. "It'll make sure you don't have to catch the ball to control it."

"Is the Wildcats' superstar giving me tips?"

"Only if you want them. You don't need to be good at hoops to hang out with me."

Gabriella stepped towards the net and lifted the ball for an easy shot, putting the ball through the hoop with no problem. "No, but it helps, doesn't it?"

Troy shrugged. "You never knew that side of me when we first met. After the warm welcome my dad gave you to the gym, I figured you'd never want to have anything to do with them again."

"He was just upset."

"He shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Retrieving the ball, Gabriella bounced it his way. "No, but he didn't know at the time how things would turn out."

Troy bounced the ball and then caught it contemplatively. "It shouldn't have mattered. I wasn't introducing you to my Coach, Gabriella; I was introducing you to my dad. He just didn't get the distinction."

"Must be tough being the coach's kid," she echoed the sentiment that had started them down the path to callbacks the week previous. "Other than making you practice a little harder, I mean."

Tossing the ball from hand to hand, he nodded. "Sometimes the line is fuzzy. On the court he's my coach - but he's also my dad. I guess sometimes I wish he'd just be my dad, ya know?"

"Think he can step out of the coach role long enough to enjoy the Musicale?"

Troy laughed. "Only if he and Ms. Darbus don't get into it again. With the Championship over and done with, the pressure won't be quite as bad and I can cut practice early to get to rehearsals. Chad and the team and I already talked about it. Dad might not like it, but I think after seeing us together on stage he might understand."

"Like kindergarten?"

Her tease made him laugh again. "Not quite. I think I'll wait to tell him and the team that you're my girlfriend though."

"Embarrassed?"

"Selfish." He bounced the ball at her and followed it, catching her about the waist, the ball rolling away, forgotten. "Once they know, we'll never get a minute alone."

"Oh, they'll have to."

"Really?"

She grinned at his skepticism. "Really. Ms. Darbus isn't about to let the entire basketball team and their coach hang around during rehearsals. Not to mention all the time we'll have to spend with Kelsi to learn the rest of the songs."

"That's not really us alone."

"No, but..." Gabriella looped her hands around the back of his neck. "I don't know about you, but I didn't just spend time with Kelsi rehearsing; I had to practice elsewhere too."

"Me too."

"So why wouldn't we practice together? I mean, our spoken roles also play off one another and we're going to have to learn our lines and our cues."

"Devious."

"Logical," her counter held a teasing note. "Unless you'd rather your dad did your prompts."

He shuddered, thinking of his dad even attempting it. "My mom might want to help."

"Mine too, but I'd rather practice with you since its your voice I'm going to be hearing on stage."

"Me too. Think we can sell it?"

Gabriella grinned and pulled away, linking her fingers through his as she took his hand. "Only one way to find out. Come on; let's see what your parents have to say."

"What about the party?"

"Do you really wanna go?"

"I should."

"Troy."

Her tone said it all and he shrugged. "I'm the captain of the team that just won the Championship game against a team that's knocked us out three years running. It's worth celebrating."

"But?"

"I think I'd rather spend my time with you."

"What, hanging out here?"

"Does it matter what we're doing?" He started to walk, pulling her into step beside him. "How about you, your team just hit a milestone too; didn't Taylor say they've never made it past the first round?"

"I guess so - except we didn't just make it past the first round, we won the decathlon."

"I know," he squeezed her fingers. "Which makes it worth celebrating with the people who helped make those things happen, right?"

"Our friends certainly didn't help the call backs happen."

"No?"

Gabriella shook her head. "If they'd left us alone and been able to deal, we never would have ended up wasting all that time we could have been practicing."

"Did... did Taylor really give you a lecture about lunkhead basketball men?"

Unable to help the giggle that escaped, Gabriella nodded. "It was pretty funny - until they piped in your little speech to your team."

Hanging his head, Troy was silent for a moment. "I _am_ sorry about that. It was the only way I could think of getting Chad and the team off my back and I _never_ meant to hurt you."

"I wasn't supposed to hear it, right?"

Troy winced. "Yeah, but I shouldn't have said it. I should have to told them the truth."

"Which was?"

"That singing with you was important enough I wasn't willing to give it up just to save face."

"And if they'd made you choose?"

"They almost did." Pulling her to a stop, he regarded her solemnly. "I couldn't focus on basketball knowing you wouldn't talk to me, Gabriella. The way I was going, if they hadn't told me what they'd done, I wouldn't have been in any shape to play in the game against the Knights. I was so focused on you and the sudden change in your attitude towards me, I was useless."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Really. It's one of the reasons Chad and the rest of the team decided to come clean."

"Did he convince Taylor?"

"He didn't say. I'm just glad we came through it."

"Me too." She smiled, and resumed walking, pulling him unresistingly along. "You know, it's strange."

"Which part?"

"All of this; it's surreal."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. We could have missed not only the call backs but lost the decathlon and the Championship game because our friends thought they could dictate who we could be friends with."

"This isn't turning into one of those 'the whole singing thing made the school wacked' talks, is it?"

"No, but if you hadn't come to find me, I don't think I would have ever spoken to you again. Not in time for the callbacks anyway."

"Not to mention the game or your competition," Troy squeezed her hand. "So why did you accept my apology, huh? Not that I'm complaining."

"You sang it to me." Gabriella shifted closer as they walked. "You can't hide what you're feeling when you're singing, Troy; it's all in your eyes."

"Should that worry me?"

"I don't think so."

Falling silent, they resumed their walk and Troy subtly diverted their direction, heading for both Chad's house - which was at the end of the block from his own - and his own home. Gabriella, surprisingly, had moved in just two blocks over. They moved from grass to pavement and Gabriella shifted in Troy's jacket, pulling her free hand inside so she could grasp the lapels closed.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Not really, why?"

Gabriella shook her head. "For a guy who wears sweaters all the time, I didn't figure you'd want to be long without a coat."

"If I say yes, will you share my jacket?"

"Captain!"

Suppressing a groan, Troy plastered a smile on his face and turned towards Chad's voice. "Hey man."

Chad bounded towards them, only to stop dead as he caught sight of Gabriella cloaked in Troy's team jacket, a wide grin splitting his face. "No way."

Neither of the new couple said anything; they didn't need to when the "team rules" said it all. Chad clapped his hands once and then let out a hoot. "Taylor's not going to believe this!"

"Believe what?" Taylor appeared trailing Chad, the couple apparently about for their own walk. "Oh, hi Gabriella; hey Troy."

"Hey." Troy didn't relinquish Gabriella's hand, much like he'd been loath to back in the auditorium - and what did it really matter anyway? Chad had already figured it out by one simple article of clothing. "How's the party, Taylor?"

"Wondering what happened to their Captain," Chad answered for them, his gaze never leaving Gabriella. "Of course, they'll understand considering the circumstances."

"Did something happen?" Taylor joined Chad, smiling at their friends. Being a scholastically inclined young woman, she wasn't privy to the 'rules' of the basketball team; in fact, she probably didn't have a clue what Chad's own jacket around her shoulders meant since he'd asked her out at the end of the Championship game. "You got cold too, huh?"

Gabriella blushed. "Yeah. Troy's a gentleman."

Chad coughed, obviously trying not to laugh. "Sure. You guys coming by?"

"For a few minutes. Our parents have some questions about the Musicale that aren't going to wait until tomorrow."

Chad waved dismissively, and grinned. "If you show up, you won't be leaving until morning."

Troy glanced down at Gabriella and arched his eyebrows in silent inquiry. She grinned. "On one condition, Chad."

"Condition?" He sounded insulted.

"Yup, condition." Gabriella waggled a finger at him. "No one asks us to sing or talks about singing unless it has to do with the Musicale."

"What?" Taylor looked pained. "That's not fair."

"Then they can survive without us. Come on, Troy, I should go find something warmer if we're going to be outside."

"Sorry man," Troy looked anything but as he shrugged at his friend. "Enjoy the party."

"But-"

Chad watched them leave and whatever else he might have said was lost as Gabriella dragged Troy away and steered him towards her house. She giggled once they were out of earshot.

"You're positively evil to put that kind of limit on their curiosity."

"It's none of their business."

"We have to tell them sometime."

"But not tonight." Satisfaction rang clearly through Gabriella's tone. "We already have to explain to our parents, that's enough for tonight."

They continued on to the Montez home, Gabriella pulling the key from her pocket as she found the door locked. "That's strange."

Unlocking the door, she flicked on the light and found a note waiting for her. "Gabby; I'm over at the Bolton's if you need me. Mom"

Troy laughed as he read the note over her shoulder. "That will make things easier."

"What do you mean?" Gabriella slid his jacket off as Troy closed the door behind them.

"We only have to tell them once," stepped forward he slid his arms around her waist and nuzzled her cheek. "And we can do it together."

"In case they want a demonstration?"

"Exactly."

Sharing a laugh, Gabriella untangled herself from his embrace. "Make yourself at home, I'll be right back."

It took Gabriella less than three minutes to change and when she reappeared it was to find Troy seated on the steps, stretched out with his eyes closed. Grinning, she crept down the stairs until she was crouched by his head. "Tired Wildcat?"

"Exhausted." He cracked one eye. "I think the excitement of today has totally worn me out."

"Well, you can't sleep on my stairs. Are you sure you want me to come home with you?"

"Absolutely; I'm not telling my mom and dad _and _your mom on my own without you to back me up." Pushing himself into a sitting position, Troy looked at her questioningly. "Where's my jacket?"

"I left _my_ coat upstairs."

"My dad will know if I come home without it."

"Let him then," Gabriella replied impulsively. "They probably already figure we were dating anyway."

Moving down the stairs, Gabriella slid her shoes back on and collected a jacket of her own from the closet in the hallway. Troy joined her at the door, waiting as they exited and she re-locked it. Re-claiming her hand, they headed for the short cut between their streets, taking the alleyway so they could bypass Chad's house and the party that was going strong.

Reaching the Bolton home, they entered through the back gate and snuck across the yard, creeping up on the house from behind. Sharing a conspiratorial grin, they approached slowly, Troy easing the screen open so they could sneak in. Ditching their shoes, they slid close to the wall and listened for signs of habitation.

The murmur of voices could be heard further down the hallway, probably in the den, and Troy squeezed Gabriella's fingers as they moved slowly into the house.

"What I want to know," Troy's mother was saying as they approached. "is how Gabriella convinced Troy to sing - not to mention audition for the school's winter Musicale."

"Wouldn't we all?" that was Coach Bolton. "Until New Year's he was totally focused on Basketball."

Troy and Gabriella shared a look. Anymore logic like that and their parents would have it figured out without needing them to tell the story.

Gabriella's mother laughed. "Don't get me wrong, but the basketball star isn't the typical person Gabriella usually gravitates to."

"I've heard she's very smart," that was Troy's mother again. "You must be very proud of her."

"She's very smart, but I worry about her too. You have no idea how delighted I was to hear she'd become friends with your son."

"Even if he got her detention on her first day at school?"

Troy blinked, almost announcing their presence at that moment with his father's easy question. It was proof his dad had heard what he'd said that day in the gym - and believed him. Gabriella squeezed his hands, thinking along the same lines. Their gazes locked and they missed what her mother's reply was. Gabriella cocked her head at him in silent inquiry.

Mrs. Bolton laughed at something someone had said and they missed. "Troy's always been basketball this and basketball that; I can't imagine where he met someone as scholastic as your daughter."

Now was as good a time as ever. Nodding, he stepped into the doorway, dragging her with him. "Actually," he said by way of announcing themselves. "We met at the Freestyle Club."

The three adults turned their way wearing almost identical surprised and puzzled expressions. Ms. Montez recovered first. "Freestyle club?"

Gabriella nodded. "At the lodge - during the New Year's party."

Understanding dawned on their parent's faces - and then confusion. "I thought you said it was boring which is why you left right after the fireworks."

Troy flushed at his father's pointed question. "Gabriella had already left by then so I didn't see any point in hanging around."

"You could have met other people," His mother pointed out delicately.

"Mom," Troy belatedly realized his mother and Gabriella hadn't been introduced yet. "This is Gabriella, Gabriella, this is my mother."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Bolton." Gabriella didn't extend her hand like she had with his father, wary of being rejected like before.

Mrs. Bolton smiled as her son remembered his manners and surprised Gabriella by getting to her feet and welcoming the young woman with a gentle hug. "It's nice to meet you, Gabriella. Whatever you did to convince this son of mine to think beyond basketball... I can't thank you enough."

"Mom!"

Gabriella giggled as Mrs. Bolton resumed her seat. "Actually, Mrs. Bolton, I didn't do anything; the DJ at the party did."

"Oh?" The three adults shared identical looks; just what had gone on at that party?

Troy gained them a few moments by leading Gabriella to the only open chair and letting her sit before sitting on the arm and not relinquishing her hand. The adults shared another look, as if confirming their suspicions, and waited for Troy or Gabriella to continue. Troy reluctantly took up the story.

"They were doing karaoke at the club for New Years and selecting random people from the audience to sing together when there were no volunteers. Gabriella and I were chosen to sing together."

"And you what, just got up and sang?" Mr. Bolton seemed skeptical. "I didn't even know you _could_ sing."

"Neither did I," Troy admitted. "But Gabriella looked more uncomfortable than I did, so I figured I'd give it a shot."

"And I haven't heard either of you sing yet," Mrs. Bolton cast a pointed look at her husband. "Jack tells me you're both very good."

"We didn't start that way," Gabriella shrugged, smiling apologetically at her mother. "But once Troy began, I couldn't leave him exposed like that. I mean, he took a chance when we were placed in that uncomfortable position, I felt like I had to at least rise to the occasion."

"She's got an _amazing_ voice," Troy assured the adults with a goofy grin. "I don't know how I ever kept up with her."

"You hold your own," Ms. Montez assured him with a smile. "From what we saw on stage at that audition, the Winter Musicale is going to be quite the show."

"Kelsi worked hard to get us that far," Gabriella demurred.

"So sing something," Mrs. Bolton encouraged eagerly. "It doesn't have to be anything long, but I want to hear this harmony Jack keeps raving about."

Troy looked at his dad in surprised and Coach Bolton shrugged. "You guys were great, Troy. I thought your mother should know you'd taken an interest in something beyond hoops."

Gabriella laughed. "You up for one last encore?"

Troy sighed deeply. "I suppose. What should we sing?"

"What I've been looking for?" Her look was all challenge and daring. "If you remember the words of course."

"We haven't learned it yet."

"I don't care what you sing, even if it's just a scale," Mrs. Bolton broke in exasperated. "I just can't see you as a singer, Troy."

Stung, Troy took Gabriella's dare - and launched into the duet that had inadvertently launched them into this whole call back fiasco in the first place. "It's hard to believe, that I couldn't see. That you were always there beside me."

Gabriella smiled, taking up the lyrical line on cue, her gaze locked with his. "Though I was alone, with no one to hold."

Troy joined in, unable to keep the smile from his lips. "But you were always right beside me."

Harmonizing softly, they were more singing _to_ one another than _for_ anyone and completely forgot they had an audience. "This feeling's like no other. I want you to know. That I've never had someone, who knows me like you do. The way you do. And I've never had someone as good for me as you, no one like you. So lonely before, I finally found - what I've been looking for."

The silence that descended upon the room went unnoticed as the last note faded away and Gabriella squeezed his fingers tightly. That duet could have been written with the two of them in mind and, in some ways, personified their relationship.

"Wow." Mrs. Bolton's exclamation broke the spell they were under and they looked forward sharply to find the adults watching them with indulgently proud smiles. "Troy..."

"Crazy, huh mom?"

"Beautiful - was your dad right, you two got the part?"

"Yeah." Troy looked away a little uncomfortable, Gabriella's comment about everything being in his eyes when he was singing echoing through his head. "We found out after the game. Apparently Ms. Darbus didn't take long to decide."

"Sharpay and Ryan are really good," Gabriella added. "So they're our understudies."

"Which we _won't_ need," Troy added pointedly. "Kelsi's a really talented composer; her songs are a lot of fun to sing so the show should be great if the two songs we've already seen are any hint."

"Looks like it," commented Gabriella's mother knowingly. "I guess that means the two of you will be working hard to rehearse and memorize your parts."

"It's just another kind of hard work, something my dad's taught me all about."

"For basketball maybe, I never taught you how to sing."

Troy shrugged, deciding not to comment on that particular statement as he rose to his feet, pulling Gabriella with him. "Anyway, we ran into Chad and Taylor on our way over and they were wondering when we'd be stopping in to celebrate."

"Have fun," Ms. Montez waved them away. "And Gabriella?"

"Yes mom?"

"Don't worry about curfew tonight."

Troy, who's curfew was pulled on winning game night already, simply grinned and pulled her from the room, racing back down the hall to where they'd left their shoes. "I _knew _my mom was going to ask that we sing."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Troy relinquished her hand to pull his shoes back on. "To sing with you? Never. I just didn't expect my own _mother _to doubt that I could when my dad told her what we'd done."

"You're the basketball guy, Troy. Not the singer guy; what else did you expect?"

"Faith?"

"Idealist." She tightened the straps on her shoes. "Are we really going to the party?"

"I was thinking of something a little more private - just let me grab a coat."

Laughing, Gabriella glanced back to ensure none of the adults had followed them as Troy took a side trip to his room. He rejoined her a minute later, shrugging into the black jacket she remembered from New Years. Reclaiming her hand, he led her out and back into the alleyway. A quick shoulder check showed that their parents weren't watching.

Hauling her to a stop, Troy pulled her back around and shifted a loose board in the fence beside their garage. Hidden from view, he helped Gabriella up on the top of the fence, which ran alongside the garage, and then joined her. When she made to ask what he was doing, Troy flashed her a grin and levered himself onto the Garage roof. Extending his hand to her, he made it plain where they were going to be alone.

Charmed by the idea, she let him help her across. They settled on the slanted roof out of sight from his house - and stretched out on the shingled surface. The moon and stars had winked into full view and a blanket of brilliance stretched out above them.

"Wow."

"Welcome to my second favorite hideout - except Chad knows about this one."

Gabriella laughed softly. "I think he's a little busy to come looking for us."

"Me too." Troy rolled onto his side, propping his head on one hand to look at her. "Thanks, Gabriella."

"For what?"

"For being there. Telling my parents without you wouldn't have been a lot harder."

She smiled. "That goes both ways, Troy. My mom already knew about the singing thing, but telling her about how we met was easier with you there."

"You nervous?"

"About?"

"The Musicale."

"A little." Her admission was easy this time, unlike when they'd first snuck into the auditions to watch. "I don't know if I can get over my stage fright."

"You'd better," his expression was slightly pained. "I _don't_ want to have to play opposite Sharpay."

They shared a grin and a laugh. "When you put it that way I'm sure I'll get through it somehow."

"You can always do what we did tonight."

"Look at you?"

He nodded.

"I'd do that anyway. You really are something else, Troy."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Rolling back to his back, he folded his hands behind his head and stared at the night sky. "But I'm not the only one who's something else - and I mean that in a good way."

"Thanks."

The sound of the party several houses down was muted and indistinct, cocooning them in their own little world. The comfortable silence stretched between them and neither was willing to break it. Gabriella shifted beside him, moving closer, so she could curl up against his side, her head resting next to his on his arm. Contented to simply bask in her presence, he didn't comment, simply smiled at her and turned his attention back to the stars.

They stayed like that until Troy's arm began to go numb, and even then he didn't want to move. Somewhere between deciding if he should move and coming up with the decision to simply stretch the arm out, his eyes closed and he drifted from wakefulness into slumber. There was nowhere he felt more comfortable than with Gabriella and he trusted her implicitly.

Beside him, Gabriella listened as his breathing changed, lifting her head only once to look at his face - and realized he was asleep. Exhaustion had finally caught up with the Wildcats' Superstar. Smiling, she laid her head back down on his elbow and turned her gaze heavenward once more. This was where she belonged and it was where she intended to stay.

_fin_


	14. Something More: Reviews

**Reviews for: ****Something More**

**Out of respect for those people who've reviewed this Vignette before, here are the reviews they left, unedited and unchanged.**

**Thank you for your comments, guys!**

hms fan  
2009-08-01 . chapter 1

loved it grate job

JennCorinthos  
2008-12-23 . chapter 1

So wonderful...

JENNIFER

live-in-dreamland1  
2008-11-21 . chapter 1

that was soo cute. they so should have put that into the movie. awesome job!

xEMAZZAxGURLx44  
2008-10-31 . chapter 1

Aw i love this. its so cute!

xcrunner21  
2008-10-31 . chapter 1

loved it!

ibelieveintruelove  
2008-10-30 . chapter 1

Aw that's so cute! I loved how you managed to cover everything - Troy asking her out, telling the parents, catching up with the best friends - and you made it all work! Awesome story!

greentopak  
2008-08-31 . chapter 1

Wow. That was beautiful.

Love all ur HSM Missing Moments fics :D MORE soon i hope.

.lov3  
2008-08-31 . chapter 1

that was really beautiful and so not out of character

ceci  
2008-08-30 . chapter 1

wow, this was great! You are an amazing writer! When I was in the middle of reading this, I had to stop because I had volleyballpractise, and trust me, I've never been more upset with practise, I just wanted to finish this. And I LOVE playng volleyball, so that says a little..

I absolutely loved this story, it was great!!

XsugarbabiesX23  
2008-08-29 . chapter 1

ohh mi godd  
that was absolutely amazing :]]  
u should soo continue it  
a lot of people on fanfiction arent very good but this was great  
kudos to you :]]  
i loved it!!

Lily Topaz  
2008-08-28 . chapter 1

aw sweet vry disney...  
luved it!

onlyemmett.  
2008-08-27 . chapter 1

beautiful :)  
i never thought of their parents wondering about their sudden interest for singing... but it totally made sense :)  
i love your style... you write wonderfully and your descriptions are perfect :)


End file.
